High Cleaning Efficiency Room Air Cleaner With Slim Profile

ABSTRACT

A high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile providing a clean air delivery rate sufficient to clean any ordinary size room includes a flat-panel housing having an internal chamber sized to receive conventional large area flat-panel furnace filters of standard size and a fan array preferably of high efficiency, low power axial computer fans mounted to the flat-panel housing. The room air cleaner may include a scent cartridge and a UV lamp assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of allowedco-pending US non-provisional utility patent application Ser. No.12/249,080, filed Oct. 10, 2008, of the same inventive entity as herein,incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is drawn to the field of gas purification, and moreparticularly, to a novel, high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner witha slim profile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Room air is laden with dirt, dust, allergens, odors, microorganisms andother airborne pollutants. Although room air cleaners have been devisedto treat room air so as to remove such airborne pollutants, theheretofore known room air cleaners have been deficient among otherthings in that they have been inefficient, providing comparatively lowcleaning efficiency (clean air delivery rate per watt of powerutilized); have produced undesirable amounts of ozone; have needed to beremotely located to walls in otherwise unoccupied open room floor spacethereby adding to room clutter; have utilized custom, non-standard-sizefilters that are costly and inconvenient to obtain; and/or their utilityhas been limited to removal of a particular type of air pollutant butgenerally have been unable to selectably remove a variety of differentpollutant types. There is thus a need to provide a high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile not subject to thedeficiencies of the heretofore known room air cleaners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to disclose ahigh cleaning efficiency room air cleaner providing a high clean airdelivery rate per watt of power used.

It is another object of the present invention to disclose a room aircleaner having a slim profile enabling its placement nearby a wallthereby freeing up open room floor space.

It is a further object of the present invention to disclose a room aircleaner selectively capable of removing a variety of different pollutanttypes.

It is another object of the present invention to disclose a room aircleaner usable with conventional home furnace filters of standard sizethat are inexpensive and convenient to obtain.

Another object of the present invention is to disclose a room aircleaner that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and purchase.

Another object of the present invention is to disclose a room aircleaner providing a clean air delivery rate sufficient to clean a roomof ordinary size.

The high cleaning efficiency room air cleaners with a slim profile inaccord with these and other objects of the present invention include aflat-panel housing taller and wider than it is thick enclosing aflat-panel filter receiving chamber whose open interior is sized toaccept conventional home furnace pleated flat-panel filters of standardsize. The flat-panel filter receiving chamber is preferably sized toaccept in tandem two (2) home furnace flat-panel pleated filters ofstandard size. Up to two (2) tandem flat-panel filters of standard size,or a single, custom-size flat-panel filter equal in thickness to theaxial thickness of two (2) tandem conventional home furnace flat-panelpleated filters of standard size, may be selectively received in theflat-panel receiving chamber of the flat-panel housing.

The tandem filters of standard size may be conventional off-the-shelffurnace filters having pleated particulate removal media and/orspecialty flat-panel filters of the same standard size including ozoneremoving media, odor removing media, bacteria reducing media and/or someother specialty filter media well known to those skilled in the art. Thesingle, custom-size flat-panel filter equal in thickness to the axialthickness of two (2) tandem conventional home furnace flat-panel filtersof standard size preferably is a flat-panel pleated particulate removalfilter that may include other specialty filter media.

A planar array of axial fans each taller and wider than it is thick ismounted to the flat-panel housing. The axial fans of the planar fanarray cooperate to axially move a plane of air through the open interiorof the flat-panel filter receiving chamber that is substantiallycoextensive in area to the surface area of any conventional home furnaceflat-panel pleated filter of standard size.

The fan array preferably is a blower fan array, although an exhausterfan array could be employed, and the axial fans of the blower fan arraypreferably are high efficiency, low power, brushless DC computer“muffin” fans, although other axial fans may be employed.

In one presently preferred embodiment of a high cleaning efficiency roomair cleaner with a slim profile in accord with the present inventionproviding a clean air delivery rate sufficient to clean an ordinary sizeroom, the fan array is a (3)*(2) blower fan array of computer “muffin”fans and the flat-panel filter is a single, custom-size flat-panelpleated filter equal in thickness to the axial thickness of two (2)tandem conventional home furnace flat-panel pleated filters of standardsize.

Means including a peripheral gasket and resilient shoulders are providedfor sealing the interface between the confronting surfaces of the fanarray and flat-panel filter in the flat-panel filter receiving chamberof the flat-panel housing.

Front and rear grills are mounted to the slim profile flat-panelhousing. A scent cartridge is removably mounted to the rear grillupstream of the blower fan array. A UV lamp assembly may be removablymounted inside the flat-panel filter receiving chamber of the flat panelhousing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantageous features and inventive aspects ofthe present invention will become apparent as the invention becomesbetter understood by reference to the following, solely exemplary,detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, and to thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with a slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front of the high cleaning efficiency roomair cleaner with slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a back plan view of the high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with a slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the high cleaning efficiencyroom air cleaner with slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are isometric views respectively showing top andbottom resilient shoulders of the high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with a slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with a slim profile in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic detail diagrams that respectivelyillustrate how the top and bottom resilient shoulders seat theconfronting top and bottom surfaces of flat-panel filters of the highcleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile in accord withthe present invention;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a removable scent cartridge of the highcleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of the presentinvention and FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, generally designated at 10 is a highcleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile in accord withthe present invention. The room air cleaner 10 in one presentlypreferred embodiment is twenty-two (22) inches high by eighteen (18)inches wide by five (5) inches thick, which enables it to hug a wall;accepts up to two (2) flat-panel furnace filters of standard size,namely twenty (20) inches high by sixteen (16) inches wide by one (1)inch thick; and provides a clean air delivery rate effective to clean astandard sized room.

The room air cleaner 10 includes a housing member generally designated20 enclosing a flat-panel receiving chamber generally designated 22whose open interior is sized to accept conventional home furnaceflat-panel pleated filters of standard size. In one presently preferredembodiment, the open interior of the flat-panel receiving chamber issized to accept up to two (2) home furnace flat-panel pleated filters ofstandard size although it could be sized to accept one (1) or more thantwo (2). A removable front grill 24 and a rear grill 26 are mounted tothe housing member 20 respectively at its front and rear faces. A standgenerally designated 28 having metallic strengthening feet 30 is mountedto the bottom of the housing number 20. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 8,the closest approach the room air cleaner 10 may make to a side or otherwall is defined by the lateral extension of its stand 28.

Top and bottom covers 32, 34 are respectively mounted to the top andbottom of the housing member 20.

A controller PC board 36 mounted to the housing member 20 is operativelycoupled to a control panel and user interface, not shown, carried at thetop of the housing member 20, to input control information and todisplay system status information.

A plurality of slim profile axial fans 38 operatively coupled to the PCboard 36 and control panel are individually mounted in respective onesof a like plurality of fan receiving openings generally designated 44formed in the housing member 20 to provide a (3)*(2) blower array at therear face of the housing member 20. The axial fans 38 of the (3)*(2)blower fan array cooperate to axially move a plane of air through theopen interior of the flat-panel receiving chamber 22 of the housingmember 20 whose surface area is substantially coextensive in area to thesurface area of any standard size conventional home furnace flat-panelpleated filter.

The slim profile axial fans preferably are high efficiency, low powerbrushless DC computer “muffin” fans of 4.72″×4.72″×0.98″ size. Ofcourse, another type of slim profile axial fan, or a different numberthereof, and/or an exhauster fan array may be employed.

A UV lamp assembly mounting chamber generally designated 42 for a UVlamp assembly, not shown, is recessed inside the housing member 20 toprevent direct viewing of the UV lamp from the outside of the room aircleaner 10. The UV lamp assembly is operatively connected to the PCboard 36 and control panel to controllably provide ultraviolet light ata wavelength effective to kill biological organisms that may beentrained in the airstream moved by the blower fan array through thegrills 24, 26 of the room air cleaner 10.

In one presently preferred embodiment, a custom-size low-pressureflat-panel pleated particulate filter 45 twenty (20) inches high bysixteen (16) inches wide by two (2) inches thick is removably mounted inthe interior flat-panel receiving chamber 2 of the housing member 20.The low-pressure flat-panel pleated filter 45 cooperates with the highefficiency, low power axial computer fans 38 of the blower fan array toprovide a clean air delivery rate sufficient to clean the air of astandard sized room.

Up to two (2) flat-panel filters each of size equal in size toconventional flat-panel home furnace pleated filters of standard size,namely twenty (20) inches high by sixteen (16) inches wide by one (1)inch thick, not shown, may be removably mounted in tandem in theinterior flat-panel receiving chamber 22. These filters may beconventional furnace filters having pleated particulate removal media,and/or include specialty media to remove or control other varieties ofpollutants such as odors, ozone, and germs among others.

A rectangular gasket 46 mounted to the inside of the rear wall of thehousing member 20 peripherally seals the confronting surfaces of theblower fan array and custom-size flat-panel filter 45 inside theflat-panel receiving chamber 22. Preferably, the gasket 46 is ofneoprene rubber.

Elongated shoulders generally designated 48 are mounted to the inside ofthe top wall of the housing member 20 and elongated shoulders generallydesignated 50 are mounted to the inside of the bottom wall of thehousing member 20. As best seen in FIGS. 6, 7, the elongated shoulders48, 50 include a plurality of transversely extending resilient fingers52, 54. As best seen in FIGS. 8-10, the transverse fingers 52, 54 of thetop and bottom elongated shoulders 48, 50 provide resilient abutmentsthat seat against and hold the flat-panel filter 45 and maintain itsposition in sealing relation with the gasket 46, and that seat againstand hold each of up to two (2) flat-panel filters of standard size, notshown, and maintain the inside one of the up to two (2) tandemflat-panel filters of standard size in sealing relation with the gasket46. The resilient fingers 52, 54 of the shoulders 48, 50, thatpreferably are spaced apart a distance that corresponds to their height,are bent differentially by different height flat-panel filters to takeup any tolerance variations there may be between different manufacturersof otherwise “standard” size flat-panel filters. A differentlongitudinal spacing, more or less than their height, could be employed.The elongated shoulders 50 include a rigid end finger 56 which serves asa positioning stop for the custom-size filter 45; or for the outer oneof tandem flat-panel filters of standard size, not shown.

A scent cartridge generally designated 60 is removably retained in therear grill 26 of the room air cleaner 10 by a scent cartridge cover 62.As best seen in FIGS. 11-12, the scent cartridge 60 includes a scentblock 62 captured by an inner case constituted by casing members 64, 66,which is slidably movable within an outer case constituted by casingmembers 68, 70, so as to expose more or less of the surface of the scentblock 62, thereby controlling the degree of fragrance added to the airstream flowing through the room air cleaner 10.

Many modifications of the presently disclosed invention will becomeapparent to those of skill in the art without departing from theinventive concepts.

What is claimed is:
 1. A high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner witha slim profile, comprising: a flat-panel housing taller and wider thanit is thick enclosing a flat-panel filter receiving chamber whose openinterior is sized to accept at least one flat-panel filter that istaller and wider than it is thick; a planar array of axial fans eachtaller and wider than it is thick mounted to the flat-panel housing suchthat the axial fans of the planar fan array cooperate to axially move aplane of air through the open interior that is substantially coextensivein area to the surface area of said flat-panel filter that is taller andwider than it is thick; and front and rear grills respectively mountedto opposing sides of said flat-panel housing.
 2. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 1, wherein theflat-panel filter receiving chamber is sized to accept in tandem two (2)conventional home furnace flat-panel pleated filters of standard size.3. The high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile ofclaim 2, further including up to two (2) flat-panel filters of standardsize received in tandem in the flat-panel filter receiving chamber ofsaid flat-panel housing.
 4. The high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with a slim profile of claim 3, wherein at least one of said upto two (2) flat-panel filters of standard size is a conventional homefurnace flat-panel pleated filter of standard size.
 5. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 3, wherein atleast one of said up to two (2) flat-panel filters of standard size is aflat-panel filter of standard size including specialty filter media. 6.The high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile ofclaim 2, further including a single flat-panel filter equal in thicknessto the axial thickness of two (2) conventional home furnace flat-panelpleated filters of standard size received in the flat-panel filterreceiving chamber of said flat-panel housing.
 7. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 6, wherein saidsingle flat-panel filter is a pleated particulate removal filter.
 8. Thehigh cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim1, further including means including a gasket and resilient abutmentsfor peripherally sealing the interface between the confronting surfacesof the fan array and flat-panel filter when a flat-panel filter isreceived in the flat-panel filter receiving chamber of said flat-panelhousing.
 9. The high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slimprofile of claim 8, wherein the resilient abutments include elongatedshoulders having transversely extending resilient fingers.
 10. The highcleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 9,wherein the resilient fingers of the elongated shoulders are spacedapart along the direction of elongation of the elongated shoulders adistance that corresponds to their height.
 11. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 1, wherein theplanar array of axial fans is a blower array.
 12. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 8, wherein theblower array is a (3)*(2) blower fan array.
 13. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 1, wherein theaxial fans of the planar array are high efficiency, low power, brushlessDC computer “muffin” fans.
 14. The high cleaning efficiency room aircleaner with a slim profile of claim 1, wherein the flat-panel housingincludes an interior UV lamp receiving chamber.
 15. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 1, furtherincluding a scent cartridge to controllably introduce fragrance into theair moving through the flat-panel housing.
 16. The high cleaningefficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 15, wherein thescent cartridge is removably mounted to one of said grills.
 17. The highcleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim 15,wherein the scent cartridge includes a scent block captured within anapertured inner case that is slidably mounted in an apertured outer caseto control scent block exposure to air streaming thereinthrough.
 18. Thehigh cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slim profile of claim1, further including a stand mounted to the bottom of the flat-panelhousing.
 19. The high cleaning efficiency room air cleaner with a slimprofile of claim 18, wherein the stand has a lateral extent that definesthe closest approach the room air cleaner may make to a side or otherwall.